Carabus (Neoplectes) chaudoirianus Lapouge, 1909

Fominykh, Dmitriy D. & Zamotajlov, Alexandr S., 2016, Further contribution to the knowledge of Georgian species of the Carabus Linnaeus, 1758 subgenus Neoplectes Reitter, 1885, with description of a new subspecies of C. titarenkoi Zamotajlov & Fominykh, 2014 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Carabini), Zootaxa 4179 (3), pp. 561-599 : 565

Carabus (Neoplectes) chaudoirianus Lapouge, 1909 , stat. resurr.

( Figs. 19–26 , 105–116 , 204–205 )

Material. 7♂♂, 11♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, S slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range, left bank of Khveibliani river , 1 km W of Mlashi vill., 1276 m, N 41°41'14.70" / E42°38'57.20", pitfall traps, 02.05- 09.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 10♂♂, 18♀♀; Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, N slopes of Khormani Mt. Range, right bank of Khveibliani river , 1 km E of Zarzma vill., 1266 m, N 41°40'36.50" / E42°40'04.90", pitfall traps, 01.05- 09.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 17♂♂, 8♀♀, Georgia, Guria, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Gomi vill. between Bzhuzhi and Kalova rivers, 900 m, N 41°50'46.30" / E42°07'28.10", pitfall traps, 07.04- 08.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 8♂♂, 10♀♀, Georgia, Guria, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Gomi vill. between Bzhuzhi and Kalova rivers, 1338m, N 41°50'24.60" / E42°08'05.50", pitfall traps, 07.04- 08.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 2♂♂, 1♀, Georgia, Imereti, Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range, E slopes of Sahelmtsipo Mt. Range, left bank of Tsablaras-Tskali river ., 399 m, N 41°59'52.90" / E42°47'49.10", pitfall traps, 07.04- 0 6.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) .

Distribution and habitat. Described from “Batumi”. General range covers the northern slopes of the Adzhar- Imereti mountains, the west of the Khanistskali river valley on its southern slopes, the west of the Abaschemistskali (=Otskhe) river valley, and the right bank of the Kveibliani river in the Khormani mountains. Collected at the northern and southern slopes of the Adzhar-Imereti mountains, in its central and western parts, and further south, in the Khormani mountains near the Turkish-Georgian border. Since this mountain range is situated mainly in Turkey, the occurrence there of C. chaudoirianus (and the subgenus Neoplectes in general) seems to be very probable. All known populations inhabit deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests at 400–1350 m.

Remarks. Originally described as a subspecies of C. ibericus . This form was treated as a distinct species by Retezár (2015), and later reduced to a subspecies of C. lafertei by Deuve (2015). We resurrect its specific status based on the stable differences in external morphology and male genitalia structure (see identification key and illustrations below).

Populations from the west part of the Adzhar-Imereti mountains differ from those dwelling eastwards by having consistently a more elongate and slender body, with the pronotum and elytra entirely coloured without black spots. The population from the environs of Adigeni town is extremely variable in external appearance, some specimens resembling C. lafertei though being different in male genitalia structure.

Figures

FIGURE 204. Habitat of Carabus chaudoirianus Lapouge, Georgia, Gomi env., 900 m.

FIGURE 205. Habitat of Carabus chaudoirianus Lapouge, Georgia, Zarzma env., 1250 m.

FIGURES 19 – 26. Dorsal habitus of Carabus chaudoirianus Lapouge: 19 – 22 — Gomi env.; 23 – 26 — Mlashi env. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 105 – 110. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus chaudoirianus Lapouge, Gomi env.: 105 – 107 — right lateral view; 108 – 110 — dorsolateral view. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 111 – 116. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus chaudoirianus Lapouge, Mlashi env.: 111 – 113 — right lateral view; 114 – 116 — dorsolateral view. Scale bar 10.0 mm.